Pfizer Acquires Brisbane-based Diagnostics Tech Company ResApp Health

ResApp Health, Pfizer, Brisbane,
Photo Credit: Jernej Furman/Flickr

Did you know that Pfizer, one of the world’s largest COVID-19 vaccine makers, has acquired Brisbane-based ResApp Health, the developer of a smartphone application that can accurately diagnose the infection?



Dr Tony Keating, the managing director of ResApp Health, said that this $100-million deal with the pharmaceutical giant will accelerate plans to commercialise the smartphone app to help families manage COVID-19 better. 

On the other hand, Pfizer’s chief digital officer, Lidia Fonseca, said the partnership will boost the company’s efforts to “pave a new era for digital health.”

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Pfizer and ResApp Health will also collaborate on creating and launching other products to fight COVID-19. 

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Prior to the sale, ResApp just completed its pilot clinical trial of a new cough audio-based algorithm among 741 patients in India and the U.S. The company said that the technology logged a 92 per cent sensitivity for detecting the virus. UQ Associate Professor Udantha Abeyratne developed the technology, which uses audio recordings on the smartphone to diagnose the severity of the respiratory disease. 

ResApp Health will also be useful in the healthcare and office setting, aged care facilities, schools, sports and entertainment venues, and for screening travellers.



“The WHO have recently warned that the pandemic is not over, that health systems globally continue to strain under the current caseload and that we should be prepared for the potential of more dangerous variants to emerge,” Mr Keating said.



“We intend to accelerate commercialisation by immediately engaging with regulators globally and we have already commenced discussions with global health and technology companies with the goal of rapidly bringing this product to market.”